Russia’s war casualty toll in Ukraine up by 1,340 over past day (2026-07-16 05:15 UTC)
Kurz: The total combat losses of Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, from February 24, 2022, to July 16, 2026, amount to approximately 1,424,620 personnel, including 1,340 losses over the past day.
‘Looking forward to welcoming them back’ — International Handball body lifts Russian, Belarusian ban following IOC decision (2026-07-16 02:57 UTC)
Kurz: “(T)he IHF looks forward to welcoming them back into the international handball community and hopes that, with the support and cooperation of all stakeholders, the necessary steps will be taken to ensure a timely and effective return,” the body said in a news release.
Russia’s Engels air base reportedly struck in Ukrainian drone attack (2026-07-16 01:06 UTC)
Kurz: Russia’s Engels-2 air base in Saratov Oblast was reportedly hit by Ukrainian drones overnight on July 16, Russian Telegram media channels reported.
Russia hits Kyiv with ballistic missiles, killing 2, injuring 6, as Ukraine reels from political shock (2026-07-15 22:31 UTC)
Kurz: Explosions rocked Kyiv shortly before 1 a.m. local time, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyv City Military Administration, reported that Russia was attacking the city with ballistic missiles.
Kurz: Morning recap Good morning Middle East Eye readers, The US launched a new wave of strikes on Iran overnight, as blasts were reported near the US consulate in Erbil. Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi “strongly condemned” the drone attack in the city. The Islamic Revolutionary Gua…
Fresh strikes reported in Khandab city, Semnan airport (2026-07-16 05:44 UTC)
Kurz: Fresh strikes reported in Khandab city, Semnan airport Iranian media reported new attacks in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm island, Sirik, Chabahar, Konarak, Rask, Khondab, Khorramabad and Semnan. The latest attack involved a site in Khandab city that was targeted by “two enemy projectiles,…
Iran targets US forces gathering in Kuwait, radar systems in Bahrain (2026-07-16 05:27 UTC)
Kurz: Iran targets US forces gathering in Kuwait, radar systems in Bahrain The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced targeting a C-RAM early warning radar system at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait as well as a gathering of “criminal soldiers of the US terrorist army”. Another att…
Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 12 people, Palestinian authorities say (2026-07-16 04:39 UTC)
Kurz: Israeli airstrikes have killed at least a dozen people in Gaza over the past two days, local health officials said Wednesday, as strikes continue almost daily despite a months-old ceasefire with Hamas.
One Size Doesn’t Fit All: The Many Faces of Africa’s Foreign Fighters (2026-07-15 17:30 UTC)
Kurz: In 2020, Austin Doctor wrote, “The Looming Influx of Foreign Fighters in Sub-Saharan Africa,” in which he predicted the region would see an influx of foreign fighters to aid Islamist extremist groups. Six years later, we asked Austin to revisit his arguments.Image: African Union …
Security Council LIVE: International Criminal Court briefs on Darfur (2026-07-15 12:00 UTC)
Kurz: On Wednesday, the Security Council heard an update on the International Criminal Court’s work in Sudan’s Darfur region, referred to the Court back in 2005. Focus has recently turned to atrocities in the ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support For…
ICC vs former Darfur JEM commander Abdallah Banda: Prosecutors ask for withdrawal of war crimes charges as ‘evidence deteriorated after 10+ years’ (2026-07-14 20:26 UTC)
Kurz: In a blow to the prospects of ensuring accountability and eliminating impunity for war crimes… The post ICC vs former Darfur JEM commander Abdallah Banda: Prosecutors ask for withdrawal of war crimes charges as ‘evidence deteriorated after 10+ years’ appeared first on Dabanga R…
Video of US flag desecration by Somali army trio sparks uproar amid stepped-up support (2026-07-13 11:07 UTC)
Kurz: Troops involved in a video that showed the American flag being stepped on and kicked were detained and an investigation is underway, the Somali defense ministry said.
US pulls troops from Nigeria following anti-ISIS mission, focuses on ‘African-led’ future (2026-07-06 10:42 UTC)
Kurz: The U.S. has withdrawn most of the troops that were sent to Nigeria earlier this year to help root out Islamic State insurgents, according to the head of U.S. Africa Command.
Taiwan Mobilizes HIMARS, Anti-ship Missiles For Major Defense Drill (2026-07-15 16:25 UTC)
Kurz: Taiwan’s most capable missile launchers are being deployed across the island for a five-day defense drill designed to enhance joint operations and develop concepts for targeting enemy aircraft and vessels. Newly procured American M142 High Mobility Rocket Artillery Systems (HIMAR…
Blue Water Autonomy, Saildrone Sue Navy Over MUSV Rejection (2026-07-15 22:01 UTC)
Kurz: Two companies that were passed over for the U.S. Navy’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel program are taking the service to court over the decision, USNI News has learned. Saildrone and Blue Water Autonomy filed suit in late June in the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washi…
Cahill Takes Command of U.S. Naval Surface Force (2026-07-15 20:44 UTC)
Kurz: Vice Adm. Joe Cahill took over as the Navy’s top surface warfare officer earlier this month, USNI News has learned. Cahill, who most recently was the commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, took the helm of U.S. Naval Surface Force on July 3, according to a service news releas…
Before the Next Mythos Moment: The Case for an AI Threat Fusion Center (2026-07-15 07:30 UTC)
Kurz: Earlier this spring, Claude’s developers found the cyber potential of Anthropic’s model, Mythos 5, hazardous enough to pump the brakes on model release, creating the Project Glasswing collaboration to give cyber defenders the upper hand through controlled access to the model. Des…
The band playing when a Bangkok bar caught fire mourns its members among the 33 dead (2026-07-16 06:03 UTC)
Kurz: Victims of this week’s flash fire at a Bangkok music bar that took more than 30 lives included four of the six core members of the band playing when the blaze broke out.
Why Asia’s new AI workers are emerging as a cybersecurity challenge (2026-07-16 04:21 UTC)
Kurz: AI agents can be tasked to draft emails, write code and update documents, among other things. But the same autonomy that makes them valuable also creates vulnerabilities, warn cybersecurity experts.
On eve of retirement, Saltzman champions military’s role as ‘ballast’ for democracy (2026-07-15 19:44 UTC)
Kurz: “We really used to be considered icing on the cake,” US Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman told reporters. Now, “I think we are more the eggs in the cake batter.”
Army reveals new details on autonomous launcher, high energy laser program (2026-07-15 17:39 UTC)
Kurz: Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano told an audience Tuesday that the service is looking to award the first contracts for its CAML program next month, and it is in final negotiations with AV for its E-HEL initiative.